Choosing One of Four
A girl gave me her love,
the star of the region of Nantyseri,
kind Morfudd, splendid maiden,
4 great thoughts, no false judgement.
Although I may lose my treasure
who was so keen in her true and intense passion,
although our exchange was costly for us,
8 it was costly for her husband too.
But for fear of the displeasure of God above,
good living is awful, she will not change her mind,
the shock then to her lover was treachery,
12 moon of the world, she swore to finish it.
If I loved a woman half-expecting
[reward] at the feast of the bald merchant,
a sort of nobleman with a pathetic womanly retinue,
16 the wife of Robin Nordd,
Elen so fond of wealth,
my treasure with the halting patois,
the lady of wool, the queen
20 of cloth-houses in the land of gorse-fire,
a loving man was needed there.
What a pity for her that I am not the one!
Colour of a lovely wave, she won't accept
24 a poem cheaply, great honour.
It was easy to get, complete possession,
good hose, easier than anything.
And if I have her of the colour of whitest gossamer,
28 she would satisfy me with medley cloth.
I have never failed, by God,
careless passion, to gain some payment
either for words of praise
32 or for fine harmonious sense,
either in gold, I deny intercourse,
or in some other way. I am eloquent.
But although my tongue
36 weaves praise to Dyddgu,
I can do nothing,
by God, except keep track of inconstancy.
The lady of the whole kingdom, bred on mead,
40 as all the world knows, is the fourth.
Colour of foam, neither she nor any other
will get from my clever wise mouth
either her name or the land she comes from,
44 she is magnificent, nor who she was.
There is no woman, chief of passion,
nor man that I love as much
as the maiden bright as a whitewashed fort.
48 She will not be grateful for any greeting to her.
It is said that I love in vain.
I will have my reward, and I will not stint it.
If she knew, one man's hope,
52 that this was about her,
the fair-cheeked beauty,
she would think the fine gift as bad as being hung.
[Though] the pain of that hostility will be all the heavier for me,
56 I will praise her, colour of Nyf,
lovely her form, and all Gwynedd
will praise her too. Blessed the man who wins her!